No Greater Love
by Hermione Eveningfall
Summary: Claire is desparate to find a place where she truly belongs, and is thrilled when her Uncle Peter offers to take her in as his own.
1. Chapter 1

Title: No Greater Love

Author: Hermione Eveningfall

Fandom: Heroes

Pairing: None

Rating: PG

Summary: _Peter's conversation with Nathan regarding Claire Bennet turns out a lot differently than either expect. _

_**Before I knew your name  
You knew my every breath  
Before I found my way  
You knew my every step  
Before I knew everything that I need  
You gave it all to me**_

"No Greater Love", by Rachel Lampa

Chapter 1

He made me so angry sometimes. Nathan could be incredibly stubborn, and often came off as cold hearted, but I knew different. He wanted to love his daughter, he wanted to be part of her life. However, circumstances caused a rift that I had a feeling would take years to fix. Unless I could give him a little push, of course.

"She's your daughter," I spat, and he looked at me, pain in his dark eyes. "and she saved my life."

Claire found the piece of glass that nearly killed me, embedded into the back of my skull. When she tore it out, I could see light again, and it illuminated her concerned face as she hovered over me. Her features were definitely Patrelli based, no doubt about that; she looked so much like our mother.

"I can't do this now," Nathan replied, his voice low, but firm. "I can't risk..."

"What? Your election status? God forbid people find out you had an illigitimate daughter?" I asked.

"I'm not asking for much."

Both of us whirled around at the sound of Claire's voice, and saw her standing in the doorway. She looked upset, her blue eyes narrowed, and her lips pursed.

"Claire." Nathan replied, that single word containing quite a bit of emotion.

"Can you give us a few minutes, hon?" I asked, hoping she wouldn't mind, and Claire frowned. "I promise, just five minutes. Then you can have him."

She nodded, backing out, and I carefully shut the living room door to avoid any further intrusion.

"I dont know what you want from me," Nathan hissed. "She doesn't exactly seem willing to bond."

"You're just going to let her roam the streets, then?" I asked. "I might as well adopt her myself!"

Nathan's eyes bulged, and he stood up so we faced each other at eye level. "What?!" he exclaimed, and I raised my arms in the air.

"You clearly are in no hurry." I shrugged. "and she trusts me."

"You'd adopt her. Now. Seriously." He cocked his head to one side. "and you think that would be safer than sending her to Paris with Mom?"

I threw my arms in the air, and could see Claire watching us through the glass from the corner of my eye.

"Haven't you forgotten one minor issue?" Nathan continued. "You're going to be blowing up New York in the near future."

"That's not definite," I growled, clenching my fists together. "she's not happy, Nate. You should be able to at least see that."

Nathan sighed, running his fingers through his hair, and flopped down on the couch. "All right." he looked at me, his eyes darker than usual. "Bring Claire in, ask her yourself. I want this to be her decision. She's old enough."

I motioned for Claire to come back into the room, and she did, though slightly hesitant. "Sorry," she apologized, blushing, and I smiled.

"For what?" I asked, and she shrugged.

"I was spying," she whispered, and Nathan merely laughed.

"We've both done worse, so no worries there," he admitted, and I raised an eyebrow.

"What's going on?" Claire asked, folding her arms, and I stood, clearing my throat. My head still throbbed from where the shard of glass sat, and it was hard to imagine I'd escaped death so narrowly.

"I'm going to be straight forward with this," I began slowly, "Claire, would you like to live with me?"

Silence filled the room, and she looked from myself to Nathan, her eyes widening.

"Claire, I would love to keep you," Nathan continued, and I smiled faintly at him. "but I can't. Not now, anyway...and I know you don't want to go to Paris with your grandmother. I can see it in your eyes that you're happier in New York."

"I have a nice apartment," I added, "and there's a spare room that we could turn into yours. I promise to keep you safe, and we'll just lay low for a while. You can enroll in school, and..."

Claire choked on a sob and leapt into my arms, nearly knocking me down to the floor. Nathan stood slowly, stunned by her reaction, and watched as the two of us continued to embrace.

"Are you serious?" she asked, when I finally had to set her down, feeling a little dizzy and weak from all the effort. Nathan could see this in my face, and encouraged me to sit and rest for a few minutes. "oh my...again, sorry," Claire breathed, chewing on her lower lip.

"And yes, I'm serious," I chuckled. "you're obviously a Patrelli." I kissed her forehead, and she looked at Nathan, frowning slightly.

"Are you okay with this, Daddy?" she asked, and he smiled, pulling her into a hug as well.

"I may come off as a cold hearted ass, but honestly, I want what's best for you, Claire. I wish I were in a better position to take you in, because honestly? You've blown me away. I'm furious I didn't know about you sooner."

Claire blushed, and I could see the tears filling her eyes.

"Do you have all of your things?" I asked.

"I don't need a lot of stuff," Claire admitted. "actually...I don't have much. Our house kind of...burned, so all I have in the suitcase is it."

I frowned, squeezing her hand, just as mother walked in.

"So, what have we been discussing in here?" she asked, her expression firm as always. Nathan asked to speak with her in the hallway, and she shot Claire and I a curious look before following him. When they were gone, Claire sat down, and squeezed my hand.

"Are you feeling all right?" she asked, noticing how tired I appeared, and I looked at her calmly.

"Yeah," I promised, blinking. "considering I nearly died again."

"You have to stop that," Claire giggled.

"I don't think that'll be much of a problem when you're living with me given your powers," I replied, and she blushed again.

A few minutes later, Nathan came back into the room with Mom, and it was difficult to read her face.

"So, Peter, is this true?" she asked, her voice icy, and I pulled Claire onto my lap.

"Mom, I think I can handle a sixteen year old. I'm not adopting an infant. She can run if it gets too dangerous, or I'll put her on a plane to Paris myself."

Mom shared a glance with Nathan, who seemed actually quite content with the situation at hand. He was in no position to become a true father anytime soon, and I was. I needed a distraction from what was happening to me, or I would honestly go stir crazy. I always thought about becoming a father someday, though I hadn't had the luck of finding a woman to settle down with.

"Peter, I do trust you," Mom answered, "but I want you to think very carefully about what you're about to take on."

"We're going to lay low," I promised. "I'll put Claire in school, and we'll live like normal human beings for as long as we can. It's what both of us need, I think, afterw hat happened."

Mom came to Claire, and touched her cheek tenderly with her palm. "If you're all right with this, then I am," she replied, and Claire hugged her newfound grandmother, insisting it was more than she'd ever wanted in her whole life.

"All right, then. And I hear you are traveling with just one suitcase full of clothing?" she asked, clucking her tongue with disapproval, and Claire shrugged. "one suitcase does not a teenage child make! I insist on taking you shopping, especially if you will be starting in a new school. I wont have any grandchild of mine looking like a rag-a-muffin."

Claire giggled at the comment, and hugged me again, breathing deeply.

"I love you, Uncle Peter," she whispered into my ear, and I felt my heart swell.

"I love you, too," I replied, and Claire hurried after Mom, curls bobbing as she moved. Nathan stood watching her with a smirk on his face, and raised an eyebrow at me.

"I hope you know what you've gotten yourself into, little bro," he announced, and I grinned. "but I'd probably mess her up worse than you." he clasped my shoulder. "thanks. This means a lot, Pete."

I nodded, blowing out my breath. "I think I'm going to lay down," I admitted. "If Mom and Claire are going shopping, they'll be gone a while."

Nathan encouraged me to do so, his eyes following my figure as I left the parlor, heading towards the second floor of our large house.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

I tried my best to get some sleep, but I could still feel the excruciating pain of Sylar's murderous intentions. For about two hours straight I lay on my bed, gazing up at the ceiling, and thought about how much my life would change with Claire in it. I didn't know her as well as I would have liked, but she saved my life twice, which had to count for something. Besides, she hardly hesitated for more than a second after I asked her to live with me, and the intense hug she provided sealed her heart with mine. Sure, Claire was only sixteen years old, but she'd been through more than an adult in her short lifetime, most of which she didn't even remember.

I didn't even know Claire had come home, until she came upstairs with a mug of steaming hot tea, and eased it into my hands.

"Thanks," I replied, and she smiled, sitting down in the chair by the window. "How was the shopping excursion?"

Claire let out a moan, and looked down at her feet. "I feel like I've run a marathon," she admitted, and I grinned. "Grandma must have taken me to a hundred different stores, and I don't think I've carried so many bags in my life. You'd think the world was ending the way she drug me through the mall!"

I chuckled, sipping from the mug once the tea was cool enough. "So you got enough to last you until you start college?" I cocked my head to one side, and Claire lightly cracked her knuckles.

"I think so," she replied. "how are you feeling? Dad said you went straight up to bed after we left."

I nodded, rubbing my face with my free hand. "Yeah," I answered. "I'm so tired, but I can't sleep. I've just been laying here thinking about everything."

"Not having second thoughts, are you?" Claire asked, straightening up, and I looked at her seriously.

"Of course not," I promised, and relief crossed her face. "however, I can almost garuntee the first couple of weeks you live with me will be an adjustment. I'm a guy, and I tend to live like one."

Claire giggled. "You're a pig, aren't you?" she asked, and I blinked with surprise at her comment. "I mean, you're messy. Dirty clothes everywhere, dishes on the counter and in the sink?"

"Ah. Well, yes, you've pretty much hit the nail on the head."

Claire smiled at me again, and clambered onto the bed so we sat side by side.

"I'm not very neat, either," she said. "the family who adopted me...the Bennet's...were always yelling at me to clean my room. I just never cared, probably because I wasn't in there very much."

"Cheerleading practice take up most of your life?" I asked, and she stuck out her tongue.

"No," she retorted, raising her nose in the air. "but I liked hanging outside with my friend Alex..." she droned off, and I lowered the tea mug, concerned. "when he remembered me, that is." she sighed, and fiddled with the decorative ring on her thumb. "after the incident at Homecoming, my Dad I think messed with both of our heads, erasing the memories of that night. Alex, he...he didn't remember that we were best friends, and it took weeks before he would even hang out with me on a regular basis. We're still not the same as we used to be, either."

I nodded in understanding. "You went through a pretty big trauma," I told her. "your Dad I'm sure just wanted to keep you from having nightmares. I wish someone had been around to erase my memory of what Sylar almost did to me."

Claire leaned against my shoulder, and sighed heavily. "I'm just glad you're okay," she said, and I leaned sideways a little so I could put the mug of tea on the nightstand. "when I came into the living room and saw that you were dead...everything just shattered. I wanted to see you again after that last time." she peered into my eyes, and I pulled her into a hug.

"I'll never leave you behind again," I promised.

"So when do I get to move in with you officially?" Claire asked, once we parted, and I glanced at my watch. It was early in the evening, and I was almost certain my mother would want us to stay for dinner. Considering I still didn't feel well, she wouldn't want me responsible for fixing a healthy meal for my new apartment guest. More than likely I would have encouraged Claire to have a sandwich, but I didn't even know if there was food still edible in my apartment. After all, I'd been on the run for quite a while, trying to figure out how to control my powers. Thankfully Claire seemed to have mastered hers, so there wouldn't have to be any routine training sessions.

"Probably tonight or first thing tomorrow," I replied. "I'm sure your grandmother will want us to stay for a while. We have to go food shopping, too...my apartment's been kind of well, abandoned for a few weeks."

Claire nodded in understanding. "Do you cook?" she asked, and I snorted. "I take that as a no?" she asked, and I felt my own cheeks grow a little warm.

"Well, I work for the hospital, so my hours are pretty sparodic. I usually just bring dinner with me, which is either frozen or grabbed along the way."

"That's okay," Claire insisted. "my Mom taught me how to cook, and I'm pretty good at it."

"I don't want you to have to cook for me," I argued. "I'm supposed to be taking care of you."

"We can take turns, then." she hopped off of the bed, just as there was a gentle knock on the door, and she went to open it. Sure enough, Mom was waiting patiently, and asked if the two of us would be staying for dinner.

"Sure," both Claire and I replied in unison, and Mom shook her head with amusement.

"Good. Claire, would you like to come and give me a hand in the kitchen, dear?"

Claire looked at me, and I gave her a nod of encouragement. After all, I still wanted to try and rest a little, to ease the throbbing headache that didn't seem to want to disappear.

At dinner that night, it was slightly awkward. Claire sat next to me, listening as my mother gave her a run down of what to expect from living with a thirty year old single man.

"You're going to have to walk him step by step of what you want on a daily basis," Mom told Claire, and I rolled my eyes, shoving a piece of brisket into my mouth. "don't be shy."

"Trust me," Claire replied, "I'm not."

"Mom, are you trying to change her mind?" I asked, and Mom looked at me for a second before turning back to Claire.

"I'm not trying to do anything, dear," Mom insisted, and I raised an eyebrow, not quite convinced. After all, wasn't she the one who nearly shoved my unwilling niece on a plane to Europe? ."but I just want to warn you it's not going to be a piece of cake. Not at all what you're used to with your previous family."

"I know," Claire promised. "I trust him." she flashed another smile at me, and I squeezed her arm before turning my attention back to dinner.

We decided to gather Claire's many bags afterwards, and head to the nearest supermarket.

"Are you sure you don't want to spend the night?" Mom asked, while Nathan helped us shove the bags into his car. He would drive us, because I either walked or took a cab through New York like a normal city resident.

"No," I replied. "I really want to get Claire settled. The sooner, the better, I think."

"I hope to God you plan on painting that guest room of yours," Mom growled, and I shot her a look of annoyance, which only resulted in her taking my face into her hands. "Peter, this is a wonderful thing you're doing for your brother. I love you, sweetheart." she kissed my cheek, and I smiled faintly, promising I would give my life for Claire if the opportunity came to that.

When I slid into the back seat (Claire sat in front with her Dad), the ride from our family's home seemed to take forever. When Nathan dropped us off to my apartment, I found myself staring at the building for a couple of seconds. Everything looked and felt so foreign, but lucky for Claire and I, both of us were starting fresh.

"You weren't kidding about the shopping spree," I laughed, as we drug everything up the four flights of steps to my apartment. Claire waited patiently while I unlocked the door, and stepped aside so she could walk in. It wasn't too shabby for a single guy, I had to admit, and definitely large enough to fit two people.

"Are you sure you still want to live with your Uncle Peter?" Nathan asked, noticing Claire's expression as she surveyed her new surroundings.

"I didn't get a chance to really clean up," I admitted. "wasn't expecting to bring a sixteen year old niece home with me."

Claire wrapped her arms around my waist, and insisted it was just fine.

"All right." Nathan opened his own arms, and she came into them, accepting a kiss on top of her head. "be good, huh? Call if you need me, or your Mom. You know where to find us."

Claire nodded, waving as Nathan made me promise not to let anything happen to his only daughter.

"On my honor," I replied, covering my heart with my hand, and we said our final goodbyes to my brother. When we were alone in the apartment, I brought Claire to the guest room where she would be staying. "You can decorate it anyway you want. We can even paint the walls in the color of your choice."

Claire walked further into the room, and sat down on the mattress, bouncing a little to test it's feel, and lay back on it. "I think it could use some paint," she agreed. "but as long as we stay far from pastel colors."

"Not a pink lover, I take it?" I asked, folding my arms, and leaned against the doorway.

Claire pretended to gag, and I laughed, using my powers to open her dresser drawers. She sat up straight, and gasped with surprise, looking at me again.

"What is it that you do?" she asked, and I cleared my throat, rubbing my nose absentmindedly as I joined her.

"I absorb other heroe's powers," I explained. "for example, when we first met at your high school? I only survived because your skill of regeneration healed me."

She nodded in understanding. "So...wow." she smiled. "you have no idea how wonderful it feels to finally have a family I can connect to. I felt so lost when I was living in Texas. No one seemed to understand what I was going through. But since I found you..." she shrugged, and I touched her cheek gently.

"Okay." I cleared my throat again, not wanting to get too emotional on her. "do you want to come grocery shopping with me or do you want to stay here and unpack?"

"I'll come with," Claire replied. "we're supposed to be sticking together, right?"

I nodded, grabbing the set of keys, and promised I would make her a copy in case she had to come home while I wasn't there.

"Better put your coat on," I suggested, and she did just that, following me out into the bustling city.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Claire and I wandered through the supermarket for about an hour, trying to find a variety of meals for the week. It was late, so not many people were out at this hour...it made getting through aisles easier. She talked most of the time, but I didn't mind. It gave me an insight to her character, which I would be living with for quite a while. Claire led me down the aisle containing soaps and shampoos, so she could stock up.

When we got home, she helped unload the groceries into the refridgerator, and tossed a couple of leftover containers that had gone bad.

"You can definitely tell no one has lived here for a while," Claire announced, snagging a PEPSI and popping the can open. "want one?" she offered a can to me, and I shook my head.

"No thanks," I replied. "I think I'm going to have another cup of tea."

Claire put the last of the cold food away, including a few packages of lunchmeat she'd chosen for her school lunches.

"How are you feeling?" she asked, once I grabbed a mug and set the microwave.

"Still a bit shaky," I admitted. "but better. So, Monday I'll register you at your new school?" I changed the subject, and Claire sipped slowly from the can, providing me with a look of disgust. "hey, look. Trust me, I want your life to be as normal as possible here. Okay?" I raised an eyebrow, and Claire nodded, though reluctantly.

Once my tea was ready, the two of us moved into the living room, and sat together on the couch. "So we're going to paint my room tomorrow?" she asked, and I took a couple of sips from the mug once the water cooled.

"Yep," I replied. "now, honestly...what color are you thinking?"

"I don't know," she said, leaning back so she could stretch out her legs, using my thighs as a foot rest. "My feet are so sore," she groaned, and I raised an eyebrow with amusement.

"What do I look like, your personal masseuse?" I teased, and she made a playful face, sticking out her tongue.

"Yeah, I guess asking my Uncle for a foot massage would be kinda weird, huh?" she burped, blushing with embarassment.

"Very lady like," I laughed heartily, and she threw her pillow at my head. Immediately I launched into a tickle attack, which caused her to shriek with laughter and curl into a tiny ball.

"I fold, I fold!" Claire gasped after a couple of minutes, and I stopped, wishing I had her company long before this. "so, you told me you absorb other heroe's powers?" she sat up straight again, and leaned forward. "how many do you have so far that you can think of?"

I rubbed a hand over my face, and thought for a minute. "Let's see...so far I can fly, like your Dad. I can heal myself, thanks to you, and a new one I can perform is invisibility."

Claire raised her eyes, and put her soda can down. "Ooh, sorry...do you want me to use a coaster?" she asked, realizing it made a ring of water underneath. I shook my head, not really caring much about the furniture. Most of the items I owned were old, and not in the greatest of condition.

"No big deal," I promised.

"Did you ever want to watch superhero movies and just wonder if you could do any of that sutff?" She asked, and I smiled.

"To be perfectly honest, no," I replied. "have you?"

"No," She said, "but I have always wondered what my limits were, you know? Like...how badly hurt I could actually get. I did have to walk through fire so I could rescue Ted the nuclear guy, and I came out fine. But...could I have a limb chopped off and grow it back?" she shrugged, and I squeezed her shoulder.

"I wouldn't try it right now," I warned.

"I did make a video of myself jumping from one of those power structures when I still lived in Texas. I wanted to prove to myself that I was different, that this wasn't all in my head, you know?"

"I know what you mean." I took another sip from my tea, my headache thankfully easing a little more than it had earlier. "For the longest time I kept believing I could fly, before I knew about any of this. I had dreams about flying, but I didn't know how to control the power yet. When I did, I felt so lost, like some sort of freak. Until I met you, of course." I touched Claire's cheek, and kissed her forehead.

"Yeah," Claire replied, hugging her knees to her chest. "I'm so glad I get to live with you. We'll definitely be able to keep each other safe this way." she hugged me, and I checked my watch, realizing it was almost ten o'clock.

"I'm glad you're here with me, too," I replied. "but it's getting late, and I think we should both get some sleep."

"It's ten o'clock," Claire chuckled, and I raised an eyebrow.

"And? That's a perfectly normal bed time. Besides, we've both been through a lot over the past few days...we need the rest. I promise, tomorrow we'll hang out and watch action movies or whatever you want after we finish painting."

Claire smiled, and finally agreed to go to bed. I put fresh sheets on her bed while she took a shower, brushed her teeth and changed in the bathroom. I gazed around the guest room, trying to imagine how it would look once decorated by a sixteen year old girl. The room had potential, and I thought about colors would probably be best for Claire's taste.

When she came into the bedroom wearing her pajamas, she stood beside me. "Are you okay?" she asked, and I nodded.

"Yeah," I promised. "G'night, okay? I'm right down the hall if you need me. Help yourself if you want a midnight snack, too."

Claire hugged me again, and I watched as she climbed under the covers, pulling the quilt close to her chin. I flipped the light off, and headed to my bedroom with the intention of falling asleep. However, just as I had done at my mother's place, I lay on my bed staring up at the dark ceiling. I continued to play Sylar's attack on me over and over in my head, and it was torture knowing he was out there somewhere. Sure, I escaped from the fate he planned for me, but the world wasn't safe for our kind with him still alive on the streets.

Around midnight, I decided to check on Claire, and make sure she was safe in her bed. Sure enough, my niece slept on, a small smile on her face. It was a comfort to know she felt relaxed and at ease in my apartment, considering we didn't know each other that well.

After watching her for a couple of minutes, I shut the door, leaving it open for a couple inches just in case.

The next morning, I awoke to the smell of bacon wafting in through my bedroom door. Confused, I slid out of bed, and followed the scent to the kitchen, where Claire stood making breakfast at the stove.

"Well, this is a nice surprise," I announced, yawning into a fist, and blinked the sleep from my eyes. It had taken a while, but I had a lot of difficulty drifting off. "How long have you been up?"

"Since eight," she replied, flipping an omlet in one of the pans. "Did you sleep okay last night?"

I went straight for the coffee pot where a fresh batch was brewing, and poured a cup. "Could have slept better," I replied. "Claire, you didn't have to do this." I motioned to the plates sitting on the table, and she carried the pan by the handle and slipped the currently finished omlet onto the plate in front of me.

"I know I didn't," she replied, "but I wanted to. Hope you're hungry, because I have bacon and toast coming."

I shook my head, amused, and reached for the newspaper she had rolled up on the table. "Well, thank you. I appreciate it," I said, and she gave me a hug from behind.

I worked through my omlet while reading the paper, and paused only when Claire would pile more food onto my plate.

She finally sat down with her own breakfast ten minutes later, and gazed through the kitchen window. It was an overcast morning, and according to the weather in the paper, we would get a bit of rain today.

"At least we won't have to feel bad about staying indoors painting," she announced, shoving a piece of bacon into her mouth.

"Mmmhmmm," I replied, turning the page.

After breakfast, I volunteered to take care of the dishes as Claire had done the honors of making the meal itself. She hung out in the kitchen to keep me company while I washed the plates and glasses, and the two of us talked about nothing in particular.

Suddenly she let out a yell of obvious pain, and I immediately whirled around, watching as she clutched at her left hand. "Ow, shit," she cursed, and I felt a wave of panic. "I didn't turn off the burner!" her eyes closed tightly, and I shut the stove off before reaching for her arm...my first instinct was to shove her hand under the faucet. Before I could do so, she held her hand up, and displayed perfectly intact, unblistered skin.

"I'm fine," she promised, and I groaned, rolling my eyes. "Remember? I can heal myself in a matter of minutes?"

"I'm an idiot," I muttered, and she gave my shoulder a pat.

"Sorry," she apologized. "you're not used to me yet. You'll find out I'm a pretty major klutz."

I blew out my breath, and cleared my throat as I continued to clean the rest of the dishes. When we finished breakfast, Claire and I both put on clean clothes, and I grabbed an umbrella from the coat closet. She skipped outside into the fresh air, twirling a little, lifting her rosy face to the rain drops as they fell.

"Are you sure you're okay?" I laughed, and she glanced over my shoulder, waiting for me to catch up.

"Yeah," she replied, falling into step beside me. When we arrived at the paint store, the amount of color choices availible were ridiculous. I had absolutely no idea where to start, and decided to go with the ugliest shades of pink first.

"You're trying to annoy me, aren't you?" Claire giggled as I'd hold up the light pastel samples, and watch her expression change from thoughtful to disgusted in a matter of seconds.

"Always," I replied, and she poked me in the stomach, taking me by the hand towards an area of the store with darker shades of blues, browns, and yellows.

"Oooh, this is perfect," she announced, and provided me with a shade of blue. "it's dark, but not too dark. Blue's my favorite color, actually."

I smiled, and brought the sample over to one of the employees on the floor, who led us to where they kept the particular paint color. I paid for the paint, refusing to let Claire chip in, and the two of us walked back to the apartment. It was pouring once we got there, and both of us nearly fell through the front door.

"Whew!" I gasped, taking off my coat, and shivered a little.

"It's really coming down out there," Claire spoke, and the two of us hung our coats before heading into the bedroom. I used my powers to move the furniture out into the hall, so we wouldn't get any paint on it.

"Show off," Claire giggled, watching once I did that, and I winked at her playfully. "so...where do you want me to start?"

"How about, you take the half by the window and I start by the door? We'll meet somewhere in the middle," I replied, and she nodded her agreement.

"Fair enough," She replied, and watched as I stepped back, allowing the paint brush to dip itself into the bucket and brush against the walls. "Oh, come ON," she laughed. "that's not fair. If I can't use telekenesis you can't."

I grinned, and moved the brush into my hand where it belonged. "All right, all right," I agreed. "have it your way."

Painting was more exhausting than either of us expected, and took three hours to complete a wall and a half. We took a break for lunch, and ate the sandwiches in front of the television.

"For two people we're not doing a bad job," Claire pointed out, and I glanced at her with amusemet. "but we need some motivation. I can't believe I didn't think of this before."

Confused, I watched as she hurried out of the living room once she finished the last of her lunch, and came back with a case of CD's. "Mmmm, good idea," I agreed, trying not to talk with my mouth full. She allowed me to choose music that wouldn't make me gag, and she plugged her CD player into the hallway outlet. Once she turned the volumen up full blast, the two of us could get back to work. I wanted to finish the job before it got dark, preferably, though the pouring rain didn't make for very good lighting.

Claire danced to the music as she painted, and started to sing to herself as well to the lyrics. At one point both of us were moving to the beat, and she even allowed me to twirl her around a couple of times.

We finished by seven thirty, and stood gazing around at our handiwork.

"Not bad," she announced, and I shook my head--she had smears of paint on her nose and forehead. "what?"

"You look like a smerf," I joked, and she rolled her eyes.

"You didn't exactly come off clean, either," she replied, and I looked at myself in the mirror. Sure enough, I'd manated to splatter paint all over myself as well. "so, are we ordering pizza?"

"Yeah," I laughed, attempting to wipe a blotch off of my cheek but only succeeding in making a bigger mess.

"You're such a dork," Claire giggled, and I lifted the can of paint from the floor, bringing it out into the parlor.

"Haha. Listen, if you want to use my bed tonight that's no problem. You're room's not going to be useable until at least tomorrow night or the next. Plus, we'll need time to air out that stench."

"Where are you gonna sleep?" she asked, and I pointed to the couch. "are you sure?" she asked, and I nodded.

"I want you to be comfortable...and trust me, the couch is like sleeping on a board."

"Thanks," Claire said, and I nodded.

"No problem. Hey, I'll order the pizza...why don't you get cleaned up?"

"Okay." she smiled again, and glanced towards her room. "I had fun today."

"That's good," I replied. "so did I."

She turned and headed in the direction of the bathroom, letting me know she wanted extra cheese on her half of the pizza, along with plenty of pepperoni.

I sat down and dialed the number to the pizza shop, leaning back against the couch. Despite my anxiety regarding Sylar's whereabouts, I could honestly say deciding to adopt Claire had to be one of the best choices I ever made. _It's about time I made some, too, _I thought, focusing on the task at hand.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

_Claire's P.O.V. _

I stood in the shower, allowing the warm water to massage my paint-blotched skin. Even though I'd only been living with my Uncle for a day and a half, it felt like we've lived together for much longer. He was very easy to get along with, and not at all like the parental figures who raised me most of my life. He could relate to things on my level as a teenager, and understood exactly how I felt about our abnormalities. Sure, I could always talk about my superhero powers with my Dad--Mr. Bennett that is, but it wasn't the same. He didn't know, he could he, if he didn't have any powers himself?

Once I climbed out of the shower and wrapped my body in a towel, I peered at my reflection in the mirror. The blue paint was gone, of course, but I couldn't help but think about how much happier I felt in general here.

Peter lay on the couch watching television once I came into the living room, and he glanced up when I sat down on the large, overstuffed chair off to the side.

"Better?" He asked, once he glanced in my direction, and I smiled.

"Yeah," I replied. "did you order pizza?"

"Sure did." Peter stretched his arms over his head, and sat up. "Should be here in twenty minutes. And don't worry, I ordered extra cheese and mounds of pepperoni," he added when I started to open my mouth.

"Thanks," I laughed. "so what are we watching? Anything interesting?" I hugged my knees to my chest, my eyes focusing on the screen.

"Just the news."

I raised an eyebrow, amused. "So far it's boring?" I asked, and he shook his head.

"So far." he tossed the remote into my hands, and I smirked.

"You need a pet," I announced after a few minutes of silence, and Peter stared at me, stunned by the sudden change of topic.

"Excuse me?" he asked, and I looked at him with a smile.

"I could see you with a dog or a cat. That would make the place perfect, really." I hopped up from my seat and joined him on the couch, smiling.

"Did you have a pet before?" he asked, and I fiddled with my thumb ring.

"Well, not mine officially, but my Mom had a dog named Mr. Muggles." I dont know why, but it was weird not hearing the little puff ball of a dog yapping as he circled my feet whenever Mom would go out.

"Mr. Muggles? What kind of a name is that for a dog?" Peter laughed, and I had to smile...it was pretty silly. Mom treated Mr. Muggles like a third child, and I remember begging them for a dog or cat of my very own.

"I still dont know," I admitted, and Peter looked down at his lap for a moment.

"I'd love to get you a pet, but that's one weakness I've always dealt with," he replied. "I'm pretty allergic."

I stared. "Are you serious?" I asked, my eyes wide.

"Oh yeah." Peter managed a small laugh. "I remember Nathan had this big golden retriever when we were kids, and when I couldn't stop sneezing, we had to get rid of it."

"That sucks," I replied, frowning a little. "so I guess no pets for us. Maybe a goldfish?"

Peter laughed. "If you're that determined to have a pet, sure. Just no weird names like Mr. Muggles, okay?" he ruffled my hair, and I swiped at his hand.

When pizza arrived a short time later, the two of us sat watching "Batman Begins", amused by how clear cut the media made the fine line between superheroes and villains to be. In our world, sometimes you never knew who might be around the bend.

After dinner we watched another movie, and Peter tucked me in. I opened my arms and he gave me a hug, before heading towards my bedroom door.

On Sunday, Peter took me to buy school supplies, something I never took much joy in doing. Not that I hated school, persay, but ever since I discovered my powers it seemed so...boring.

"I never liked school much myself," Peter admitted, watching as I chose notebooks and folders, boxes of pens and pencils.

He took me on a tour of the city, considering we didn't have much time for that when I first moved into the apartment. We had lunch at one of the local deli's, and tried to keep our topic of conversation as normal as possible, because as I said, we had no clue as to who might be around the bend.

Peter brought me to the pet shop after we had ice cream later that afternoon, and encouraged me to go in. "Can you handle it?" I asked, glancing over my shoulder with concern, and he squeezed my shoulder.

"Get yourself a fish," he answered, handing me a couple of bills, and I gave him another hug.

"Thanks," I whispered, "I won't be long."

He insisted I take my time, and I wandered through the miniature shop, cooing over the puppies and kittens grouped together in boxes.

"Are you looking for any breed in particular?" The owner asked, noticing my interest in the puppies, and I gave him a sheapish look.

"Oh, sorry," I apologized. "I actually came in for goldfish."

"I see." The man seemed disappointed, and I glanced towards the window where Peter stood reading the newspaper. He was completely oblivious, which was fine with me at this point.

"I couldn't get a dog if I wanted one...Uncle's allergic, and I'm living with him now," I explained, and the owner understood, bringing me straight to the goldfish section. I couldn't remember the last time I had a fish...probably when I was five or six, and won it at a carnival.

I selected one after a few minutes of grazing, and was given the proper technique of how to care for my fish. "If you are ever able to get a dog for yourself, we'll be here," the owner promised, and I smiled at him, clutching the plastic bag in my hand.

"Thanks," I replied, and after paying him for the fish, the food, and the bowl, I met Peter outside.

"All set?" He asked, and I lifted the bag so he could get a better look.

"Yeah. I think I'll let you do the honors for a name," I added, and Peter raised an eyebrow.

"You trust me that much?" He laughed, and I stuck my tongue out.

"How hard is it to name a goldfish?" I asked, and he rolled his eyes playfully.

"True," he replied. "Hmmm. Let's get home and I'll think about it on the way."

I agreed, and the two of us continued walking, reaching his place within a half hour. Peter helped me set up the bowl, and the two of us sat at the kitchen table watching as my new little friend swum in disgruntled circles.

"Munchkin," Peter decided, and I nearly choked on the soda I'd taken a sip from a few seconds before.

"Are you serious?" I asked. "and you kept going on and on about my Mom's Mr. Muggles?"

Peter snorted. "Well, anything's better than that," he agreed. "Munchkin. I don't know...that keeps going through my head. Probably because it's my nickname for you." he winked, and I gave him a horrified expression in response.

"Munchkin?" I exclaimed, and immediately leapt up from my chair, capturing my Uncle in a tackle from behind. He laughed, and managed to twist my amrs behind my back after a couple of minutes.

"Do you give up?" he asked, and I gritted my teeth, knowing he couldn't hurt me whether by accident or on purpose.

"Sure," I replied, and he released his death grip, hugging me afterwards. "I still can't believe you think of me as a munchkin."

"Could be worse," Peter replied, and I had to admit he was right.

"Munchkin...huh. I'll admit, that's one I haven't heard before. I usually get Clairebear from my Dad, or dorkface from Lyle...but munchkin." I shrugged, and Peter smirked.

"Okay, so is that the fish's name?" he asked, and I nodded, peering at the bowl again. I swore the fish knew what I was thinking, because it directly returned my curious stare, and I swore I saw a little fin flap in a wave.

"I'm not letting you near the stove tonight," Peter announced once we settled in for the evening, and I prepared my backpack for school the next day. I wondered how I would fit in with a New York City crowd, considering I was from out in the boonies of Texas.

"Oh?" I glanced at him from the living room couch, and saw Peter setting the table for dinner. "I'll stand by for a crisis, then."

He laughed, and continued what he was doing.

The two of us had dinner, and sat enjoying each other's company afterwards. "Not a bad cook," I admitted. "you don't give yourself enough credit."

Peter shrugged, and I looked at him again.

"Are you going back to work for the hospital once I start school tomorrow?"

He was quiet again, and I hoped I hadn't hit a bad note. "Probably," he replied. "I'll need something to do when you're gone all day."

"It won't be that bad," I teased. "both of us need normal lives for a while." It felt strange saying that, considering I fought against what my Dad considered a "normal" life for me.

"Probably not," Peter agreed, yawning. "I'm sorry, I'm exhausted. I think I'm going to hit the sack early. Will you be okay alone in here?" He asked, and I raised an eyebrow with amusement.

"I'm sixteen," I replied. "of course I'll be fine alone. What time are we getting up?"

"I'd say set your alarm for 6:30," he replied. "and come wake me if I'm not already up."

I promised to do that, accepting a hug and a kiss on top of the head. I watched as Peter disappeared into the master bedroom, and shut the door behind him.

_Feels good to be normal, _I thought, leaning back and flipped open a book.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

I couldn't sleep that night, which was weird, considering I passed out as soon as my head hit the pillow on the first. As I lay watching car lights flicker across my ceiling, I wondered if my restlessness had to do with anticipation for a new school. In Texas, despite my "abilities", I fit in with the crowd. I was a cheerleader and became homecoming queen, and of course, I had Zach. He understood me better than anyone, at least...until the tragedy of homecoming night.

A New York City school unnerved me for some reason, I wasn't sure why. Maybe it was because we always heard rumors about city kids being tough and street smart, feeding on those like myself who tended to be soft and squishy on the inside. Sure, I could regenerate skin, but I preferred to avoid confrontation if possible.

_You'll be fine, Claire...you fit in with anybody, _a small voice spoke inside of my head, and I pulled the pillow around so it covered my ears.

When I finally drifted off to sleep, the clock changed to 1:30am.

The alarm blared at 6:30 that morning, and I took a couple of seconds before responding to it.

"Dammit," I groaned, struggling to sit, and blinked wearily. Bright sunlight streamed through the crack of my window curtain, which meant the weekend rain had finally ceased.

I stubbed my toe as I made my way towards the hall, though the pain only lasted for a half a second. The apartment was silent, which meant Peter was more than likely still snoring away in his room.

After taking a shower and washing my hair, I dressed in what tasteful yet not dorky I could find.

Yawning, I headed across the living room and into the master bedroom, and found my Uncle still snoring away. "Surprise, surprise," I muttered, and took one of the spare pillows that had fallen to the floor at some point during the night.

With an "oomph!" I slapped him with it, and Peter made a small grunt, merely turning over.

"All right, if you don't want to play nice," I said, and began tickling him, which resulted in an outburst of laughter.

"Hey, hey, hey!" he exclaimed, trying to shield himself from my fingers, and I grinned. "Okay, I'm up." it was his turn to blink, and he rubbed a hand over his face. "Six thirty already?"

"Well, it's six forty five--I gave you a fifteen minute grace period while I took a shower," I answered, and he made a face, glancing wearily at the clock.

"Nice," he replied. "all right, let me get myself together and I'll meet you in the living room. Do you have everything you need?'

I nodded, watching as he stumbled just as I had into his own bathroom. When he came out ten minutes later, he was surprised to discover I already had breakfast.

"I don't need anything big on school days," I admitted. "just a bowl of cereal suffices. Want anything?"

Peter checked his watch, and shook his head. "No, we don't have any time. I'll just pick up something on the way to the hospital."

"So you are going?" I asked, smiling, and he nodded.

"Yeah." he watched as I went to say goodbye to Munchkin, who swam aimlessly in his bowl on the kitchen table.

"I should move him into my bedroom later," I told Peter as we left the apartment swiftly. "poor fish probably thinks we're keeping him in the kitchen for dinner."

"Don't they have five second memories?" Peter asked, and I smirked.

"I doubt that's ever been proven," I replied, and he stuck out his tongue.

According to the school schedule on-line, classes started at 8:00 sharp, and it was already seven fifteen. We had to get there at least by 7:30 so Peter could help me fill out paperwork. He was my legal guardian, and had to provide proof that I was in deed living with him.

Manhattan International High school was much larger than I pictured, and I felt my heart racing as Peter led me through the front doors. Students were already filing through, and I was knocked aside by a couple of boys who decided walking was merely a passing fad.

"Are you okay?" Peter asked, noticing the glare on my face, and I looked at him.

"I don't think I'm going to fit in here," I muttered, and he put an arm around my shoulders.

"Sure you will," he replied. "if you can live with me, you can handle anything."

Before I could respond, we entered the main office, and thankfully the staff behind the desk seemed pleasant enough. We sat down to fill out registration forms, and the processing of the forms took about fifteen minutes.

"Biology, algebra, english, world culture, and french," I read from the schedule card, and showed it to Peter. "I took the first two in Texas already."

"Hang in there, munchkin," he whispered, and I pointed a finger at him. "at least you shouldnt have to worry about failing."

I glanced at the clock on the office wall, and sighed. "I should get to homeroom," I announced, and Peter gave me a quick hug, which I struggled against. "don't make it any harder than it already is," I hissed, and he winked, encouraging me to have a good time. "easier said than done," I whined, and he waved as I hurried into the seemingly endless hallway.

Pausing in step, I turned to see Peter watching me from the front door, and he gave another nod.

I puffed out my chest, determined to push forward and make my Uncle and family proud. I was Claire Bennett-Petrelli, and everything but ordinary!


End file.
